Ring-Shaped Piece of Jewelry Having an Adjustable Inner Diameter

ABSTRACT

A piece of jewelry is disclosed, which has an adjustable inner diameter, includes first and second parts, in the form of portions of a ring and having respective first and second ends, the first and second parts being connected to each other by a pivot type connection. Moreover, each of the first and second parts has a first of its ends adapted to cooperate with a first end of the other part, by nesting of variable depth, to define a closed ring of adjustable inner diameter. At least one spring member is adapted to act on both parts so that their first ends tend to nest one within the other to reduce the inner diameter of the piece of jewelry. The pivot type connection is at a distance from the second end of the first part, the latter having an overlap portion, located between the pivot type connection and the second end, of greater radius than an inner portion of the second part facing which it is located, so as partly to overlap it.

This application is a continuation application of prior International Application No. PCT/EP2013/054544, filed on Mar. 7, 2013 and claiming priority to European (EP) Patent Application No. 12158505.3, filed Mar. 7, 2012.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention concerns a piece of jewelry, of substantially annular shape, for instance a ring, including first and second parts, the profiles of which have respective shapes substantially of portions of a ring and having respective first and second ends. The first and second parts might be connected to each other by a pivot type connection, each of the parts having a first of its ends adapted to cooperate with a first end of the other part, by nesting of variable depth, to define a closed ring of adjustable inner diameter. Furthermore, at least one spring member might be adapted to act on both parts so that their first ends might tend to nest one within the other to reduce the inner diameter of the piece of jewelry.

The present invention may also concern the production of a bracelet having the above features.

BACKGROUND

Jewelry of this type has already been described in the past, for example in patent application CA 2393992 A1. That application describes a ring including two parts assembled to each other at first ends by a pivot type connection. Their second ends cooperate in nesting fashion and have complementary detents for holding them in a given position after adjustment of the diameter of the ring.

However, it should be noted that on the esthetic plane the structure described has the drawback of being unable to conceal the two connections provided between the two ends of the two parts of the ring.

Furthermore, the way of securing the adjustment may prove to be somewhat impractical and necessitate some trial and error. Additionally, a finite number of adjustment positions is available and the wearer of the ring may have a finger diameter that does not correspond exactly to one of these positions predefined by construction.

The patent KR 100803518 B1 describes a ring having the features set out above, in which two lateral parts are pivoted relative to each other at a first end and adapted to rest in a central third part, bearing an ornamental element, at their second end. However, the depth of nesting of these various parts can be seen and has a non-negligible impact on the esthetic appearance of the ring, while the pivot type connection connecting the lateral parts to each other can also be seen.

SUMMARY

One main object of the present invention is to alleviate the drawbacks of the known prior art adjustable jewelry by proposing a piece of jewelry of this kind offering both an esthetic suited to the requirements of top of the range products and comfortable use, notably to proceed to the adjustment of its inner diameter.

To this end, the present invention more particularly concerns a piece of jewelry of the type referred to above, wherein the pivot type connection may be at a distance from the second end of the first part, the latter having an overlap portion, located between the pivot type connection and the second end, of greater radius than an inner portion of the second part facing which it is located, so as to be able to overlap it at least partly.

Thanks to these features, the modular piece of jewelry in accordance with the invention may firstly have an indefinite number of adjustment positions, the adjustment of its inner diameter being carried out dynamically when it is placed on a finger in the case of a ring. In fact, the position when at rest of the two parts may correspond to the minimum diameter that the ring can assume, because of the action of the spring member, and when the ring is threaded onto a finger of greater diameter than this minimum diameter, the force that the finger exerts on the two parts of the ring opposes the force exerted by the spring member, to increase the inner diameter of the ring so that it is just greater than that of the finger.

Moreover, the modification of the appearance of the piece of jewelry in accordance with the present invention, as a function of its inner diameter, may virtually be imperceptible, notably thanks to the fact that the pivot connection may be concealed.

The spring member may preferably and advantageously be adapted to act, on the one hand, on the overlap portion of the first part and, on the other hand, on the inner portion of the second part.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment, one of the first and second parts may bear a recess in which a spring member may be arranged, the other of the first and second parts bearing a finger having a free end in the housing, bearing against the spring member.

Thanks to these features, the advantageous functionalities of the piece of jewelry in accordance with the invention may be employed without this having a negative impact on the esthetic appearance of the finished product.

In particular, the first part may include a decorative element extending at least partly over the overlap portion.

In a complementary way, it is also possible that at least the first part may have a width in the region of its second end greater than that of its first end to define a location for a decorative element.

Moreover, a first end of one of the first and second parts may include a tongue adapted to cooperate with a recess in the first end of the other of the first and second parts, being able to slide therein.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention may consist in the production of a ring having the features set out above. Alternatively, the present invention may also concern the production of a bracelet having the features just referred to.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more clearly apparent on reading the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment given with reference to the appended drawings, which are provided by way of nonlimiting example and in which:

FIG. 1 represents a simplified perspective view of a ring in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention, seen from a first angle;

FIG. 2 represents a simplified perspective view of the ring from FIG. 1, seen from a second angle; and

FIG. 3 represents a simplified sectional view of the ring from FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1 and 2 represent simplified perspective views of a ring 1 having an adjustable inner diameter in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention, seen from first and second angles enabling certain constructional details to be appreciated. FIG. 3 shows the same ring 1 in cross section enabling certain details thereof to be appreciated.

The ring 1 comprises two main parts 2 and 4, the profiles of which are substantially in the form of respective facing ring portions.

The first and second parts have a pivot type mechanical connection between them, here defined by the cooperation of two pivots 6 carried by the second part 4 with appropriate bearings 8 in the first part 2.

Of course, the use of the pivot connection is illustrative and is not limiting on the invention. The person skilled in the art will find no particular difficulty in implementing alternative technical solutions, for example by interchanging the locations of the pivots and the bearings, or by using a single rod each end of which would be accommodated in one of the bearings.

It will also be noted that the pivots and bearings have been shown in the figures to facilitate an understanding thereof but the bearings may advantageously not pass through the wall of the first part 2 so as not to be visible on the ring and to improve the esthetic appearance of the latter.

Moreover, each of the parts 2, 4 has first and second ends 10, 12, 14 and 16.

The first ends 10, 12 have respective substantially complementary shapes so that they can cooperate with each other by nesting at least partly and to a variable depth when the first and second parts pivot relative to each other to define a closed ring of adjustable inner diameter.

To be more precise, here each of the ends 10, 12 has, by way of nonlimiting example, a recess in the direction of its thickness intended to cooperate with a tongue of substantially complementary shape at the other end as well as a tongue intended to cooperate with a complementary recess at the other end.

Here the first and second parts have particular shapes by way of nonlimiting illustration. To be more precise, their width increases in the direction from their first end 10, 12 toward their second end 14, 16. The width of the first part is moreover such that a location 18 can be defined therein, here in the form of a recess, to house therein an ornamental element (reference number 19 in FIG. 3), for example a precious stone.

The second end 16 of the second part 4 comprises two arms 20 extending in the direction of the first part 2 and each of which carries one of the pivots 6.

It is clear from the figures that the pivot connection is at a distance from the second end 14 of the first part. The latter in fact extends beyond the second end 16 of the second part 4 so as to include an overlap portion, i.e. to overlap an inner portion of the second part 4.

Moreover, the second end 16 of the second part 4 also includes a finger 22 engaged in a housing, here taking the form of a cylindrical tube 24, fastened to the first part 2.

A spring member (visible in FIG. 3), for example a coil spring 26, is disposed at the bottom of the tube 24 to exert a force on the finger 22 aimed at pushing it out of the tube 24. Thus the spring member exerts a relative force on the first and second parts tending to move the first ends 10, 12 thereof toward each other, i.e. in such a manner that their nesting depth tends to increase. In other words, the spring member always tends to reduce the inner diameter of the ring 1 so that it is the minimum diameter when the ring is not being worn.

Thanks to this particular construction of the ring in accordance with the present invention, a ring is obtained the inner diameter of which adapts automatically and instantaneously to the diameter of the finger of its wearer, without the latter having to do anything in particular. Moreover, the inner diameter adapts in this way precisely to the diameter of the finger on which the ring is placed since the variation of the diameter is continuous, in contrast to the inner diameter of the prior art ring discussed above.

It should be noted that the construction shown for the finger 22 and the tube 24 further makes it possible to define an abutment when the first and second parts 2, 4 are moved away from each other, i.e. when the inner diameter of the ring 1 increases, which makes it possible to prevent unintentional disassembly of the ring.

Of course, it is possible to interchange the respective locations of the finger and the cylindrical tube 24 without departing from the scope of the present invention.

In a similar manner, the first ends 10, 12 define an abutment associated with a lower value of the inner diameter of the ring.

The foregoing description is intended to describe one particular embodiment by way of nonlimiting illustration and the invention is not limited to the use of certain particular features that have just been described, for example the shapes specifically shown and described for the main parts of the ring, for the ends thereof or the location of the spring member. In fact, the spring member may be fitted at any appropriate location between the pivot type connection and the second end 14 of the first part 2.

It will be noted, however, that the shapes shown for the first and second parts offer the advantage of enabling easy concealment of the pivot connection and of the various members enabling installation of the spring member.

The person skilled in the art will encounter no particular difficulty in adapting the content of the present disclosure to their own requirements and producing a piece of jewelry of adjustable inner diameter having only some of the features described here, without departing from the scope of the present invention. Of course, the present invention is not limited to a ring and could be used with any other form of jewelry compatible with the invention, for example a bracelet. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A piece of jewelry, of substantially annular shape, including first and second parts, the profiles of which have respective shapes substantially of portions of a ring and having respective first and second ends, said first and second parts being connected to each other by a pivot type connection, each of said first and second parts having a first of its ends adapted to cooperate with a first end of the other part, by nesting of variable depth, to define a closed ring of adjustable inner diameter, at least one spring member being adapted to act on both parts so that their first ends tend to nest one within the other to reduce said inner diameter, said pivot type connection being at a distance from the second end of said first part, said first part having an overlap portion, located between said pivot type connection and said second end, of greater radius than an inner portion of said second part facing which said overlap portion is located, so as to overlap said inner portion at least partly.
 2. The piece of jewelry of claim 1, wherein said spring member is adapted to act, on the one hand, on said overlap portion of said first part and, on the other hand, on said inner portion of said second part.
 3. The piece of jewelry of claim 1, wherein one of said first and second parts bears a housing in which said spring member is arranged, the other of said first and second parts bearing a finger having a free end in said housing, bearing against said spring member.
 4. The piece of jewelry of claim 1, wherein said first part includes a decorative element extending at least partly over said overlap portion.
 5. The piece of jewelry of claim 1, wherein a first end of one of said first and second parts includes a tongue adapted to cooperate with a recess in the first end of the other of said first and second parts, being able to slide therein.
 6. The piece of jewelry of claim 1, wherein said first part has a width in the region of its second end greater than that of its first end to define a location for a decorative element.
 7. The piece of jewelry of claim 2, wherein one of said first and second parts bears a housing in which said spring member is arranged, the other of said first and second parts bearing a finger having a free end in said housing, bearing against said spring member.
 8. The piece of jewelry of claim 2, wherein said first part includes a decorative element extending at least partly over said overlap portion.
 9. The piece of jewelry of claim 3, wherein said first part includes a decorative element extending at least partly over said overlap portion.
 10. The piece of jewelry of claim 7, wherein said first part includes a decorative element extending at least partly over said overlap portion.
 11. The piece of jewelry of claim 2, wherein a first end of one of said first and second parts includes a tongue adapted to cooperate with a recess in the first end of the other of said first and second parts, being able to slide therein.
 12. The piece of jewelry of claim 3, wherein a first end of one of said first and second parts includes a tongue adapted to cooperate with a recess in the first end of the other of said first and second parts, being able to slide therein.
 13. The piece of jewelry of claim 4, wherein a first end of one of said first and second parts includes a tongue adapted to cooperate with a recess in the first end of the other of said first and second parts, being able to slide therein.
 14. The piece of jewelry of claim 7, wherein a first end of one of said first and second parts includes a tongue adapted to cooperate with a recess in the first end of the other of said first and second parts, being able to slide therein.
 15. The piece of jewelry of claim 8, wherein a first end of one of said first and second parts includes a tongue adapted to cooperate with a recess in the first end of the other of said first and second parts, being able to slide therein.
 16. The piece of jewelry of claim 2, wherein said first part has a width in the region of its second end greater than that of its first end to define a location for a decorative element.
 17. The piece of jewelry of claim 3, wherein said first part has a width in the region of its second end greater than that of its first end to define a location for a decorative element.
 18. The piece of jewelry of claim 4, wherein said first part has a width in the region of its second end greater than that of its first end to define a location for said decorative element.
 19. The piece of jewelry of claim 5, wherein said first part has a width in the region of its second end greater than that of its first end to define a location for a decorative element.
 20. The piece of jewelry of claim 11, wherein said first part has a width in the region of its second end greater than that of its first end to define a location for a decorative element. 